


A Little Spontaneity is Sometimes a Good Thing

by madridistagoblue



Series: Tumblr Fanfiction Prompts [3]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: M/M, Past one-sided Akashi/Nijimura, Post-Winter Cup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-04
Updated: 2015-09-26
Packaged: 2018-04-02 19:31:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 16,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4071955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madridistagoblue/pseuds/madridistagoblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akashi Seijuurou rarely asks others for advice. However, the young captain is falling for his newfound best friend, Furihata Kouki, and, for once, he is afraid to act. Fortunately, his former captain, Nijimura Shuuzou, is willing to talk him through the problem. But can Akashi gather up his resolve in time for Furihata's impending weekend visit to Rakuzan?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Little Advice is Sometimes a Good Thing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [breedafool](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=breedafool).



> Written as part of the tumblr prompts meme. The request was for AkaFuri with prompt #18: Rainbow. I may have taken some liberties with my interpretation of the prompt. But Akashi and Rainbow-senpai's relationship is far too fun and important to ignore. ;)

It was a rare occurrence for Akashi Seijuurou to realize that he was in need of advice.

But what troubled Akashi most was not finding someone he trusted enough with this matter, but the fact that he was at a loss for ideas. Considering who he was, this was a dire problem, indeed. Though the heir to one of Japan's wealthiest corporations had been raised to act in a quiet and introspective manner, he had a natural inclination to run his ideas off of others. At Teikou, Midorima had been the one on the receiving end of most of Akashi's discourse, followed by Reo at Rakuzan. But the captain tended to seek others to use as a sounding board rather than as counsel. He would observe their reactions, both spoken and subtle, as he played with the ideas he spoke, revising each one in his head based on the response it generated. On occasion, his conversational partner would contribute a thought to the discussion, but often, it was simply a spark that set off more possibilities in Akashi's mind. Almost never did Akashi present a problem to another in the hope of being given a solution to follow. He liked gauging the effects of his proposals in the way the recipient's eyes widened or their lips turned. He did not wish to be given an instruction manual.

Yet, no matter how many times Akashi had thought through his latest, somewhat embarrassing, problem, he had not managed to produce a single idea that could begin the sort of conversation he desired to have. In fact, Akashi felt completely lost when it came to this issue, not even sure how to begin piecing together a solution. Given the circumstance, it was obvious to Akashi that he was going to have to ask for guidance. And, thus, it was only reasonable that he felt apprehensive.

The redheaded, red-eyed Rakuzan point guard held his thumb over the keys of his cellphone, assured of what he had to do, but hesitant to start. Akashi mentally scolded himself that there was no ostensible benefit to stalling, yet his woefully human emotions begged to differ. The captain took a deep breath in through his nose and assured himself that this conversation would go smoothly. After all, the person he was set to contact was one of the few whose advice he had willingly taken in the past. Akashi could trust him enough to follow his recommendations to the letter, if it proved necessary.

Akashi popped up a new text message on his phone, and typed in his message:

_Nijimura-san, do you have a moment? There is something important I wish to discuss with you. If now would be a convenient time for you, I can talk to you over Skype._

He hit send and snapped the top of his phone shut. He held the phone tightly in his hand as he sat cross-legged on his bed, waiting. A few moments later, he felt the device vibrate, and quickly flipped it open, eager to see the reply.

_Sure skype's good. Give me a minute to log on. See you._

Akashi felt the rhythm of his heart pick up tempo as he opened the laptop sitting in front of him on the bed. He logged into Skype, awaiting Nijimura's call. A moment later, a familiar tone played over the speakers, and Akashi pressed the accept button. A blurred image appeared on screen, slowly coming into focus as the face of the black-haired, former captain of Teikou.

"Hey, Akashi!" Nijimura smiled and waved to the camera. "It's been a while. How are you doing?"

"Nijimura-san," Akashi addressed the older boy. "I've been well, thank you. I'm sorry for asking you to call on such short notice."

Nijimura laughed, "It's not a problem, Akashi." A moment later, however, his smile faded as he watched the Rakuzan captain's face. "What's up? You sound a little stressed."

Akashi sighed. He could feel his hands shaking and his stomach churning, but he had hoped that his weary state would be less noticeable. Most people, after all, never saw past his confident exterior. However, his senpai had always been one of the few people who could notice the subtle differences in Akashi's behavior that accompanied his state of mind. Perhaps that was part of why the young captain trusted him.

"I need advice," Akashi stated, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"Well, that's something I haven't heard since your first year at Teikou," Nijimura said, smirking.

Akashi frowned.

"So what's happening?" Nijimura continued, more seriously now. "Is it something with the team? Or is the old Generation of Miracles acting up again?" The older boy rolled his eyes slightly at the latter question.

"Neither," Akashi replied. He straightened his back and tried to sit up taller, hoping he would gain confidence by projecting it. "It's about the friend I've told you about. Furihata Kouki."

Suddenly, Nijimura began to laugh. Akashi glared at him over the camera, confused as to why his former captain found this amusing, and angered that he wasn't taking the conversation seriously. Had he started looking at something else on the internet when Akashi needed him to pay attention?

"What is so funny?" the redhead barked.

"So you really do like Furihata-san, don't you?" Nijimura asked, struggling to find the air to speak in-between chuckles.

"What is funny about that?" Akashi replied with an edge to his voice. His nervousness faded as it was replaced by anger. "I thought I had made it clear to you that Furihata-kun is my best friend.  Is it because he acted fearful on the court? Or that we are not of equivalent social stature?"

"What? Akashi, of course not," Nijimura responded, no longer laughing and clearly taken aback. Then, a flash of recognition came over his grey eyes, and he asked, "Do others think that?"

"Not my teammates," Akashi said. He diverted his gaze slightly. This wasn't really what he wanted to talk about. He was confident in his friendship with Furihata and was hardly the sort to weigh the opinion of strangers in that decision. Still, as much as their opinions would never sway Akashi's own feelings, there was something uncomfortable about admitting what he was about to say next. "He has visited Rakuzan before, though, and I couldn't help but notice the way that some of my classmates looked at us. I once even heard someone whisper that I must have frightened him into being my servant."

"Well, those people are the only ones who are actually beneath you, Akashi," Nijimura scoffed. "People don't have to be similar to be friends. I mean, take all of you rainbow-haired idiots, for example."

"Shut up," Akashi muttered, though a slight smile graced his lips. Nijimura scowled.

However, despite the former captain's assurance that he saw nothing wrong with Akashi and Furihata's friendship, something still bothered the Rakuzan captain.

"Nijimura-san," Akashi began sternly. "You still haven't explained to me what you were laughing at."

"Well, I didn't realize people doubted that you are Furihata were actually friends," Nijimura replied. "You've made it very clear to me that you two are close." A smile began to crawl over the dark haired teen's face once more and his eyebrows rose slightly. "I meant that you really _like_ him, don't you?"

Akashi said nothing in reply, but felt an almost immediate sensation of warmth overtake his body. He scowled and reached a hand over the edge of the bed to switch on his electric fan.

Nijimura looked at his former teammate with anticipation, awaiting a reply. When Akashi failed to deliver, he continued.

"Do I need to state it more properly for Akashi-sama?" he suggested, sarcasm lacing his words. He cleared his throat, and, in his most pompous voice, said, "I believe you wish to court young Furihata-san!" No sooner had Nijimura spoken the words, he began to laugh hysterically.

"I understood perfectly well what you meant the second time!" Akashi interrupted . His voice was level, in a typical Akashi manner, but clearly annoyed.  He could feel a burning sensation in his cheeks. A quick peek into the small self-image view on Skype confirmed Akashi's fear that he was blushing. This was certainly going smoothly…

"You know, it's funny when you get flustered, Akashi," Nijimura said, smiling. "You're normally so in control of yourself. You should let your guard down more often. It's cute."   

Akashi's eyebrows narrowed and he looked directly into the camera. "I fail to see why it's amusing to you that I am upset," Akashi scolded. "I have a real problem that I need advice on. But if you continue to mock me for it, I may have to ask someone else."

"You realize," Nijimura replied, with a devious look in his eyes, "that you haven't actually told me what your problem is."

Akashi diverted his eyes from the camera for a moment. His former captain was clearly trying to get a rise out of him. He pressed his lips together tightly and exhaled loudly through his nose. For a moment, he closed his eyes. He was not going to let this foolish conversation carry on any longer.

"I believe you have already stated my problem," Akashi said finally, opening his eyes and focusing on Nijimura. "Though you stated it rather sarcastically, I do wish to 'court Furihata,' as you so eloquently phrased it."

Nijimura burst into a fit of hysterics once again. "I knew it! I knew it!" the black haired teen chanted to himself triumphantly.

"It was a good guess, on your part, Nijimura-san," Akashi stated. He respected Nijimura like he did few others, but his senpai had a peculiar sense of humor that made him nothing short of frustrating on occasion. Yet, somehow he could not bring himself to be truly annoyed with his former captain. There was a part of Akashi's mind which wondered if this teasing he had to put up with was like that of an older brother.  It was infuriating, in some ways, but also strangely comforting. There weren't many people who were so unapologetically willing to stand up to Rakuzan's captain, after all. 

"It wasn't a guess," Nijimura replied with a small shake of his head. "It's very slight, Akashi, and I expect that most people don't notice it. But you have a certain gleam in your eyes when you talk about someone you like. I've seen it recently, when you've been talking about Furihata-san."

"How could you be so sure what it meant?" Akashi asked. "This is the first time I've talked to you about someone I have feelings for."

"It's not like you to be so clueless, Akashi. It's almost stunning," Nijimura marveled. "But if you really want to know, you used to look that way when you talked about me in junior high."

Akashi's eyes widened and he felt the heat in his cheeks burn even more viciously.  He hadn't realized that Nijimura knew about his crush back in Teikou! Was this emotion he felt… embarrassment?

"Can we please return to the subject of Furihata?" Akashi chided, a bit too quickly. This conversation was already difficult enough before this subject had been brought up.

"It was just a middle school crush," Nijimura tried to reassure his kouhai. "You kind of hero-worshiped me back then, before you became captain. I don't hold that against you or anything. And I know that now your attention is on Furihata-san. It's just kind of funny how self-conscious you are about your crushes, Akashi. You don't act like this about anything else."

"No, I don't," Akashi responded pridefully. But a moment later, he felt a tingling irritation in his stomach. Nijimura was right. He didn't behave this way about anything else. What was it about romance that was so strange and frightening, and -- dare he say it -- challenging?

"So, what is the problem?" Nijimura asked. The laughter had completely faded from his voice now, and his tone conveyed only sympathy. "If you like Furihata-san, you should ask him out. That seems simple enough."

"Indeed," Akashi began, once again trying to sit up as straight as possible. "It should be a simple task, but…" he paused.

For one of the few times in his life, he found himself at a complete loss for words.

"…But it frightens you," Nijimura finished.

Akashi bristled. He stared into the camera for a moment, before closing his eyes. "Yes," he admitted with a soft and cool voice. "I do not wish to put Furihata in an uncomfortable situation, should it happen that he does not return my feelings. I'm sure you understand by now that he is very important to me. I wouldn't want my feelings to damage our relationship."

"Akashi," Nijimura replied, "if I have this right, from what you and the others have told me, this kid's first impression of you was that you were a murderous, egotistical asshole who couldn't stop saying threatening shit all the time. And you -- well, you know, the other you -- scared the poor guy so much he fell flat on his face."

Akashi's shoulders slumped and he looked down at his bedspread. He didn't like being reminded of the things that _the other one_ did. And even if he hadn't really been in control of himself in those moments, it was still Akashi Seijuurou that did every one of those things. Even though Furihata had forgiven him for everything, and they even laughed off their first meeting on the court with some frequency, he still felt a pang of guilt at the way Nijimura repeated the story.

"But now he's your best friend, right?" Nijimura added. Akashi looked back up into the camera. "The way you've explained it to me, it seems Furihata-san always knows the right thing to say to make you smile or to calm you down when you're feeling a bit overwhelmed. I've never known you to trust many people, but he seems to know everything about you." The former captain paused for confirmation, and Akashi nodded. "So, tell me," Nijimura continued, "if Furihata can put aside all the things the other Akashi did, and if he's someone you can really trust to tell everything to, don't you think he'll be understanding of your feelings, even if he doesn't return them? Do you really think he'd stop being friends with you over something stupid like that?"

"I suppose you're correct," Akashi admitted.

"Of course I am," Nijimura said. "So, problem solved, right? No need to worry about it anymore. Just tell him how you feel."

"It's not quite that simple," Akashi mused, his voice still apprehensive. "Even if he wouldn't stop being my friend, I still don't want to ask him only for him to tell me no."

"But, from everything you've told me, Akashi, I wouldn't be surprised if he said yes," Nijimura replied. "He might like you too, you know. But you'll never know unless you ask."

"Still," Akashi said, tracing the corners of his laptop with his finger, "I cannot be certain."

"You can't be certain about _everything_."

"Perhaps," Akashi sighed. He stared at Nijimura's image on screen, lost in his own thoughts. "But, typically, I am."

"Look," Nijimura began, "I understand where you’re coming from. I really do. If everything goes according to your plans, then nothing will disappoint you."

"And I am rarely disappointed," Akashi replied.

"But," he continued, "have you ever considered that if everything were to go according to your plans, nothing would ever surprise you, either? I just remember the first time I watched Kuroko play in a practice game at Teikou, back when you were still the vice-captain. I knew you had discovered his ability, so to speak, but even you were impressed by what he had managed to accomplish. I think after all he's done to bring you and the rest of our old teammates back together again, you can agree that it was better that way."

Akashi nodded. "Kuroko always has found a way to surpass my expectations," he agreed.

"And I doubt you planned on becoming so close with Furihata-san, either," Nijimura added.

"True," Akashi considered. "I didn't have the best first impression of him. There is far more to him than I originally realized."

"So, perhaps it's a good idea to take risks on people, sometimes," the black haired teen concluded. "Maybe it won't always go the way you want it to. Maybe he'll say no. But you're not making a mistake just by trying something and seeing what happens. Frankly, you could use some more surprises in your life, Akashi."

Akashi paused for a moment to think. He certainly couldn't argue with the former captain's logic. Had Furihata not surpassed his own expectations, Akashi would never have found himself in this position to begin with. True, his feelings were frustrating at the moment. But, wouldn't it be worth it if Furihata said yes? If he could hold the brunette's hand in his own, relax in his warm embrace, and feel assured that his best friend was always by his side?

"Alright," Akashi said. "I'll ask him when he comes to Rakuzan this weekend."

"You promise?" Nijimura asked.

"I promise you, Nijimura-san."

"All right." The older boy smiled. "Text me and tell me how it goes."

"Of course," Akashi replied, feeling his pulse once again pick up as the reality of his promise hit him. Furihata would be at Rakuzan in two days. He had two days to prepare for whatever his answer would be.

"Don't worry, Akashi," Nijimura added. "You can do this. I've never seen any challenge you couldn't take head-on."

Akashi let the former captain's words linger in his mind. He was Akashi Seijuurou, after all, he told himself. There wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

"Thank you, Nijimura-san." He smiled.

"Good luck," Nijimura said as he smirked and gave his kouhai a thumbs-up. "And I have a feeling that Furihata-san might surprise you again."


	2. A Little Honesty is Sometimes a Good Thing

"Akashi-kun!" Furihata Kouki called out with a wide smile as he disembarked the train. He waved at Rakuzan's captain with one hand as he towed a small black suitcase with the other.

Akashi scanned the crowd in front of him quickly, spotting the small gaps among the throngs of people that would allow him to reach his friend faster. With ease, he slid through the masses until he was face-to-face with his visitor.

"Welcome back, Furihata-kun," Akashi smiled, looking into the Seirin point guard's brown eyes. "Would you like me to take your suitcase?" he asked, offering a hand towards the other. He tried not to notice the way that it shook ever so slightly.

"It's ok, Akashi-kun, I've got it," Furihata reassured him. The brunette extended the arm not holding his suitcase and pulled Akashi into a half-hug. "It's nice to see you again!"

Akashi wrapped his own arms around Furihata, feeling the fabric of his blue button-down shirt stick to his skin as sweat began collect on his palms. He let go after only a moment, afraid that he would become too comfortable in the embrace. As he pulled away, however, his red eyes settled on Furihata's t-shirt.

"Furihata-kun?"

"What is it, Akashi-kun?" Furihata asked, shifting slightly to move out of the way of the others waiting at the platform.

"Your t-shirt." Akashi stated. He stared at the other intensely, but allowed a slight smile to grace his lips. Nijimura was right. Furihata was always full of surprises.

Furihata laughed and looked down for a second at his white t-shirt, emblazoned with the Winter Cup logo and the word _Champions_ bolded in English below.

"Well, you invited me to join in your weekend practice tomorrow," the Seirin player began, "and…" he stumbled slightly and laughed again, somewhat awkwardly this time, before continuing.

"Well, you guys are a lot more talented than I --uh, well, than I am." He chuckled again. "S-so, I thought, I'd, uh, r-remind you guys that --I've won a championship too." He smiled weakly. "S-should I not have…?"

Akashi smiled. "Don't apologize," the captain said, shaking his head. "You have every right to be proud." He gave Furihata a small pat on the shoulder and hoped that he was not overstepping his boundaries. "But you must realize that every time you wear that shirt, it will motivate me work even harder to win this year's cup," he smirked. "Certainly, I will not lose twice."

"Oh yeah?!" Furihata replied. "I wouldn't be so sure. Seirin beat you once, and we can do it again!" he said proudly, thumping his free hand over his heart.

Akashi chuckled lightly as he turned and beckoned for Furihata to follow him towards the exit of the train station. "You're quite determined, Furihata-kun," he complimented.

"Eh!?" said Furihata, his eyes wide. "You really think so, Akashi-kun?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it," Akashi responded, turning his head slightly to see a wide smile break out on the Seirin player's face. He tried to suppress the feeling of warmth that grew in his chest as he looked at the brunette's gleaming face. Yes, Furihata really did exceed his expectations. Most of Seirin's team probably wouldn't have dared to wear their Winter Cup Champions shirts in front of the Rakuzan captain. But Furihata was different. Sure, he had stuttered around his answer, but he had worn it anyway as a symbol of his own pride and worth. Suddenly, Akashi felt himself wishing he could be a little more like the timid point guard walking at his side. If only he could find the courage to do what he was afraid of at the moment. He inhaled deeply.

"Furihata-kun?" the captain asked again.

"What is it, Akashi-kun?" Furihata asked, putting his hand on the slightly taller point guard's shoulder. "You seem kind of stressed today. Is everything ok?"

"I need to talk to you about something when we get back to my room," Akashi said, keeping his voice as neutral as possible.

"Is everything all right?" Furihata asked again.

"It's fine, don't worry." Akashi smiled, trying to reassure them both. "It's just… I want to ask you something. Privately."

Furihata nodded, and returned his arm to his side. "Ok," he replied. "No problem." But his voice sounded weak.

The two walked the rest of the way back to the Rakuzan dormitory in silence.

***

"Did you have something to eat on the train?"

Akashi looked down at the Seirin point guard who was now sitting on the edge of his bed. The captain could feel sweat beginning to collect on his palms and the nervous tingle that had infiltrated his stomach when he first met Furihata at the station had transformed into a sharp ache.

"I could get you a snack, or a cup of water, if you would like."

"I'm alright, Akashi-kun," Furihata replied quietly, with a small nod of his head.

Akashi nodded back. Neither boy spoke.

Akashi Seijuurou wasn't the type to memorize a set of pre-written lines and practice them in front of the mirror. He had always had a gift for speaking off the cuff and letting words flow eloquently. It was what allowed him to handle interviews so easily, even when he had been in junior high. Still, he had held versions of this conversation with Furihata in his head periodically since talking to Nijimura. He didn't have exact words in mind, but he had taken mental notes of some of the things he most wished to convey. He inhaled deeply, holding his breath for a few moments before letting it out.

"Akashi-kun," Furihata interjected. Akashi noticed now that the other boy's legs were fidgeting furiously as they dangled over the edge of the bed.

"What is it, Furihata-kun?" Akashi asked.

"You don't have to say anything if you're uncomfortable," Furihata said shyly, "but you said you wanted to ask me something when we were alone."

"Yes, Furihata-kun," Akashi sighed. "There is something I wish to say." He closed his eyes for a minute and tried to gather all his thoughts.

"N-no pressure!" Furihata spluttered.

"No, it's quite alright," Akashi said, red eyes meeting brown. He smiled, though he was unsure about who he was really trying to reassure by doing so. "Truthfully, I have wanted to say this for a while."

Furihata's lips turned upward, yet his smile felt forced to Akashi. Perhaps he was trying to reassure the captain too.

"Furihata-kun," Akashi began, looking straight into the Seirin point guard's eyes. He could feel his legs shaking underneath him and it felt difficult to stand upright. To think that he had once thought Furihata weak for trembling in front of him, only to have the tables turned! All the same, Akashi suspected that Furihata could not detect the movement he felt. The captain had, on rare occasions, found himself unsteady when asked to address his father's business partners or during his first few speeches as the captain of Teikou. But his efforts always ended in praise for his confidence and poise. However, the fact that Furihata was blissfully unaware of Akashi's tremors was of little comfort.

"I will admit," the captain continued, "when we first met, you seemed far too ordinary to pique my interest."

Fortunately, Furihata's expression did not change. He was used to the Rakuzan captain's bluntness and already knew this to be true. He continued to fret in his seat, watching Akashi with wide, brown eyes.

"However, over time, I came to understand that there was much about you I had not realized before. I am willing to accept this as my own failure. Indeed, you may be one of the most extraordinary people I have ever had the pleasure to meet."

"Eh?" Furihata laughed, scratching his head nervously. "You flatter me too much, Akashi-kun. I… I really am not that special." He looked downward as a faint blush spread over his cheeks. Though Akashi was unsure if he was simply imagining it, Furihata's twitching legs seemed to move even faster.

"I'm afraid I must inform you that you're wrong, Furihata-kun," Akashi said. "You may be easily frightened, yet you are willing to take a stand in spite of this. I remember when you confessed to me that you had considered giving up basketball, but realized that even on the bench you had something to contribute to your teammates. To be willing to dedicate oneself to something so selflessly, even when one is unsure of the outcome, is an extraordinary trait. It is a quality that many of your teammates at Seirin share. And, I must say, it is something that I have come to admire about you."  

The pink tint in Furihata's cheeks darkened, and the boy let out an awkward laugh. "You're too kind, Akashi-kun," he repeated, shaking his head.

"It is not kindness, Furihata-kun," Akashi assured, "it is the truth. I speak highly of you because you are worthy of such praise."

Akashi waited for Furihata to lift his head before he spoke again. The Seirin point guard's brown eyes widened and began to waver. "T-thank you… Akashi-kun," Furihata murmured quietly, with a hint of strain in his voice.

"I should be the one thanking you, Furihata-kun," Akashi continued. "I have always found it difficult to speak of my troubles. My weaknesses have always felt like things I simply needed to learn to control. It seemed wrong to share them with others, since I felt that doing so would mean that I was not strong enough to handle my own fears.  That is, after all, why I am the way I am -- why there are two of me instead of one."

 Akashi stopped suddenly, surprised by his tone of his voice. His speech was no longer steady, almost cracking at the ends of sentences. He could feel his eyelids becoming heavy. _No_ , he scolded to himself. This was no time to fall apart. He had to get through the rest of his speech! He took a deep breath in, hoping to compose himself so that he could carry on, when he noticed the brown-haired boy lift one hand and hold it up in his direction.

"It's ok, Akashi-kun," he smiled. Akashi could see that there were tears forming in Furihata's eyes, but the boy's smile was full of comfort. Akashi nodded his head and reached back, gently squeezing the other's small but calloused hand underneath his own. He could feel moisture creep into his slowly blurring eyes. Somehow Furihata's kindness overwhelmed him more than even the words he spoke.

"I know," Akashi responded with certainty. "You have been willing to listen to me, and I have been able to speak with you more honestly than I have ever spoken with anyone before. I have never talked with others about my mother's passing, my father's strict orders, my condition, or my fear that my teammates from Teikou would leave me behind."

Akashi felt the first tear fall from his eye and slide down his cheek. Furihata gripped his hand tighter.

"Unlike what I have known most of my life, you never thought differently of me for my weaknesses," Akashi continued, maintaining a level voice through his tears. "That is why I entrusted you with such knowledge. And in turn, this has given me the one thing I sought after for so long." Akashi closed his eyes and felt a sudden onslaught of the tears that he had managed to fight back.

He left them closed, not wishing to see concern in Furihata's eyes. Though he knew the point guard would, as he had just confessed, never judge him for his weaknesses, he still wished to be strong, for Furihata's sake. He ought not to worry the boy over a simple confession. Akashi felt his heart begin to race anew. He had become so caught up in his emotions that words flowed naturally, and he had almost forgotten where this conversation was to end.

"What's that?" Furihata asked.

Akashi breathed in through his nose and held his breath for a moment before exhaling softly. He opened his eyes and looked Furihata straight on. "To feel loved," he breathed quietly.

Furihata's face flushed rapidly.

Akashi smiled, endeared by the expression on his counterpart's face. His eyes had settled, though he could feel the cool touch of tears drying on his cheeks.

"Furihata-kun," Akashi began in a new, more confident tone. He let go of Furihata's hand and brought his own arm back down to his side.

"Yes?"

"I told you that I wished to ask you a question," Akashi continued. "But I must ask that you reply sincerely. Please do not hesitate to say no, if that is what you wish. I shall value your friendship, no matter your response."

"A-alright," Furihata said with a shy nod. He was still blushing and fidgeting, but Akashi could barely concentrate on the other's emotions as he began to feel his legs wobble underneath him once more.

"I do not have much experience with such things" Akashi smiled, "but I believe that somewhere in this process of learning to trust you, I may have found myself falling in love."

"Akashi-kun…"

"Furihata Kouki. It is for you to decide." Akashi reached for Furihata's hand once more. "But I would be honored if you would do me the privilege of becoming my boyfriend." 

"A-akashi…" Furihata stammered. His brown eyes widened and he stared at Akashi with an expression which the captain could not gauge. Akashi held his breath.

Suddenly, Furihata leapt off of the bed. He threw his hands around Akashi's waist and buried his head into the captain's shoulders. Akashi looked ahead blankly, shocked by the sudden contact.

" _Yes._ " He heard the faint reply from where Furihata's head rested against him. Akashi exhaled.

"Yes, I will."


	3. A Little Surprise is Sometimes a Good Thing

"Furihata-kun -- on your left!" Akashi cried.

"They're coming too fast!" Furihata replied, his voice shaken. "I don't think I'll make it!"

"Just hold on!" Akashi ordered, as his grip unconsciously tightened around the handle of his gun. His eyes narrowed as he focused straight ahead, aiming at his targets with precision, in hopes of taking them out before they could set their sights on Furihata.

The sound of a missile shattering glass echoed to his left, and Akashi immediately caught a glimpse of Furihata flinching backwards.

"Dammit!" Furihata muttered under his breath, kicking the toe of his sneaker into the tiled floor as he dropped his gun onto the stand in front of him.

Akashi kept his line of sight on their enemies, but from the corner of his eye, observed the way Furihata clenched his hands while letting out a sigh.

"That's it," Furihata said, his words laced with the bitterness of defeat. "We're out of tokens."

Akashi dropped his left hand, which he had been using to steady his grip on the blue, plastic gun, and began shooting at the screen one-handed. As he took down a row of enemies, he reached into his pocket and produced a black, leather wallet.

"Would you like to keep playing?" Akashi asked, turning to glance at Furihata between skillfully-timed shots. He held out the wallet to his boyfriend like an offering.

"Of course!" Furihata replied eagerly, snatching the wallet from his hand and spinning on his heels to run towards the token machine.

A small smile crossed Akashi's face as he observed his boyfriend sprint. Furihata's enthusiasm was nothing short of endearing. Yet, as Akashi returned his left hand to the handle of the gun and faced the game screen once more, he found himself slightly distracted from the task at hand by his thoughts. Was Furihata honestly content to keep playing after all this time? He had spent over ¥2,000 already, refilling the machine without hesitation every time he lost his three stocks. Certainly Akashi would have become frustrated by now, had he found himself in a similar situation. He may have only experienced defeat once so far in his young life, but he remembered, with clarity, the sinking feeling in his chest and the sensation of emptiness he experienced after Rakuzan's loss to Seirin in the Winter Cup. To imagine losing over and over in quick succession?  It was, quite frankly, a miracle that Furihata managed to appear so animated. 

Akashi's heart began to race suddenly, as a realization overtook him. Was it possible that Furihata was tiring of the game, but refused to show it for fear that Akashi wished to continue on? Suddenly Akashi felt guilty for the way he had dutifully continued shooting while Furihata dispensed tokens into the machine like clockwork. Perhaps his focus was giving Furihata the wrong impression? Then again, if Furihata did wish to keep playing, Akashi was going to perform at his best. He had only managed to lose one stock so far, and, given the number and difficulty of the enemies at this point in the game, he knew they were nearing the end. It should be no trouble for Akashi to complete the remainder of the game in a single life. Yet, he was so focused on his own goal that he hadn't stopped to consider what it must have felt like for Furihata to compare his endless defeats to Akashi's own winning streak. Was he coming across as too intimidating? Surely, this would be a poor impression to leave on a first date. Akashi took a deep breath and took out three enemies in quick succession, trying to let his stress escape with each squeeze of the trigger.

"You doing alright, Akashi-kun!?" Furihata's breathless voice called, interrupting Akashi's stream of thoughts. Akashi bristled. He listened to the sound of tokens entering the machine, overlaid with Furihata's panting. What was he in such a hurry for? Perhaps he wanted to finish the game as soon as possible so that they would be able to move on to something new and less frustrating. Akashi felt himself becoming unsteady at the thought.

"Furihata-kun," Akashi interrupted, releasing his foot from the game pedal to send his character into a defensive crouch. He turned away from the screen and towards Furihata. "Are you sure that you wish to continue playing?"

"Huh?" Furihata said. "Do you want to do something else, Akashi-kun?"

Akashi opened his mouth to respond negatively, when he realized his potential mistake. If he suggested that he wished to keep playing, Furihata might not answer him honestly.

"I would be content to remain here if that is what you wish, Furihata-kun," Akashi finally said. "I don't have a preference."

Furihata nodded and picked up the red gun sitting on the stand in front of him with two hands before angling himself towards the screen, aiming, and pressing down the foot pedal. Akashi sighed and did likewise.

"Akashi-kun."

 Akashi had barely begun to shoot down the newest pack of enemies when he heard Furihata's voice once more.

"Yes?" he asked, once again eyeing Furihata from his periphery. His training as a point guard was useful in such situations where he wished to keep his focus on multiple tasks at once.

"Is something wrong?" Furihata asked.

Akashi released his foot from the pedal and glanced at Furihata with a puzzled look. Furihata continued shooting at the screen undeterred, despite having been the one to pose the question. 

"I'm fine," Akashi said. "Why do you ask?"

"You seem kind of nervous," Furihata replied, releasing his own pedal to turn and face Akashi. "I-It's nothing much! You just looked worried about something when I came back from the token machine. And it's taking you more shots than normal to hit your targets. Just little things like that. If it were anyone else I probably wouldn't've noticed. But it's weird for you."

Akashi sighed. Here was Furihata, surprising him yet again. Akashi knew Furihata was perceptive, of course; but, it seemed that each day Seirin's point guard demonstrated anew just how observant he had become.  

"There was something on my mind," Akashi admitted. "I was concerned that you might be frustrated by this game after losing so many lives. If it were I, I cannot say that I would still find this game agreeable."

Furihata chuckled, and then his chuckle morphed into a full-bodied laugh. Furihata's head curled inwards and he clutched his stomach with his free hand. Akashi stared at him blankly, mortified. Had he said something wrong?

"I'm sorry," Furihata apologized, as he tried to suppress his laugher.  "It's just…that's all you were worried about?"

"I wanted to make sure that you were enjoying yourself," Akashi explained. "After all, I asked you to choose the location of our date. I had suggested a nice restaurant or a visit to one of the nearby shrines, but you wanted to come here. Naturally, I hoped you were still having fun."

"Of course I'm having fun!" Furihata said brightly, giving Akashi a quick, playful bump on the arm.  Akashi gave a small smile back, feeling more secure now that his boyfriend's expression was so genuinely radiant. "I just want you to have fun too!" Furihata added. "Don't worry so much!"

Akashi nodded and turned back towards the screen to continue playing. "I'm sorry if I worried you, Furihata-kun," he said, before pushing down on the pedal.

"It's no big deal," Furihata replied. Akashi could hear the sound of a second gun firing as Furihata's character snapped back into action. "It's nice of you to care so much. But it's okay to let your worries go sometimes, too."

"Point taken," Akashi responded. Normally, he would have said more -- protested, perhaps, that he never worried more than a situation warranted. Ensuring that his new boyfriend was having an enjoyable time on their first date was an appropriate enough situation to approach with as much care and caution as possible.

Yet, there was something in the calm sound of Furihata's voice that silenced any disagreements Akashi may have been tempted to express. Each syllable was so gentle, soothing the aches in his stomach and the twitches in his leg. No one other than his late mother had been able to make Akashi feel so at peace in just a few, simple statements. Though other people told Akashi not to worry with a challenging tone, as though trying to place his fears under their authority, Furihata's statements were filled only with soft concern and tenderness. He wasn't demanding that Akashi do anything -- just reminding the Rakuzan captain that he was going to be all right. Akashi couldn't help the small grin that appeared on his face at that moment.

The sound of shattering glass once again broke out over the speakers, signaling that Furihata had lost yet another stock. However, wishing to fulfill Furihata's request that he have fun and not worry, Akashi played on, without glancing over at his partner.

The game was becoming more difficult by the minute. Enemies approached at an increasing speed and volume, and Akashi found himself frequently pushing his foot up and down on the pedal, crouching and shooting in an endless loop. He kept his focus rigid and controlled his breathing. This game had ceased to become routine shooting and, now, presented itself as a challenge.

 Neither he nor Furihata said a word as they became engulfed in their imaginary military roles, only occasionally raising their voices to shout to each other to aim left or right. They reacted to each other's commands with the immediacy of seasoned combat partners, firing at the approaching terrorists as a single unit. Yet, the difference in their skills remained, despite their coordination. Two more loud crashes signified the end of Furihata's stocks, and Akashi heard the cup of tokens to his left shake as Furihata grabbed his monetary lifeline. With red eyes locked on the battle in front of him, Akashi waited to hear the sound of a token dropping into the machine to signify Furihata's return. When the pleasant jingle of metal hit his ear, he once again began to call out commands.

"Furihata-kun! The left!" he ordered with all the authority he displayed on the basketball court.

"W-wait!" Furihata stammered frantically, as Akashi focused his attention on the right side of the field. "My game hasn't started up! It's still loading! What if it's frozen? Wait…here it goes, just…"

The sound of shattering glass interrupted Furihata's rushed speech. Akashi felt his heart slam against his chest.

"Akashi-kun!" Furihata gasped. Akashi quickly glanced towards the top corner of the screen to confirm what he already knew -- he was down to his last stock.

"Hold on!" Furihata called. The determination in his boyfriend's voice made Akashi stiffen. He allowed himself to take a glance at Furihata, and was met with the sight of brown eyes whose intensity matched the strength of Furihata's speech.  Akashi's lips turned into a slight smile, even as he felt sweat begin to collect where his hands held onto the base of his gun.

"As I said earlier," Akashi said with a hint of amusement in his tone, "you are quite determined, Furihata-kun."  

"Well, I can't stop now!" Furihata replied, "Not when I still have a goal to meet."

"And what would that goal happen to be?" Akashi asked. Though Furihata had insisted he was still having fun playing _Time Crisis 4_ , Akashi hadn't assumed there was any logic to Furihata's desire to continuously place new tokens in the machine other than the amusement of playing another round. Yet, now that he thought about it more carefully, Furihata always seemed to be in a rush, whether in the way he ran to and from the token machine, or the urgency with which he jammed fresh tokens into the coin slot.

"To help you complete the game in just one life!" Furihata replied enthusiastically, before his voice became quiet and he mumbled, "if…if that's okay, of course."

Akashi felt a sudden wave of heat course through his body, and let his foot off the pedal, feeling suddenly unprepared to take any more enemies at that moment. All at once, Furihata's horror at Akashi losing another stock and his constant rushing to get back into the game made more sense. Furihata was doing this all for him? Akashi felt another tremor of nerves. Hopefully, this didn't mean what he had suspected all along -- that Furihata was only continuing the game for Akashi's sake, and not for his own. Akashi closed his eyes for a moment, contemplating the best manner in which to address this issue.

"Yes," Akashi replied finally, "of course that is fine, if that is what you so choose, Furihata-kun. But, please do not feel obligated to concern yourself with my performance. It is up to me, after all, to ensure that I perform at my best in all my endeavors. I do not wish to hinder you with my own concerns."

"Akashi-kun," Furihata said quietly, in a voice that almost sounded sad. He pulled his foot off the pedal as well. "Please don't think of it that way. I…you know I…uh…" he paused for a moment, and, when he had collected his thoughts, began again. "I used to be scared of you, just because, you know, you seemed too perfect at everything. But then, you see, when I got to know you better, I realized that it wasn't just cause you're so amazing -- I mean, you are! Amazing, I mean! -- but, you work so hard at everything. And, I started to really admire you for that. But, at the same time, Akashi-kun, you sometimes overwhelm yourself, trying to be so perfect."

"I understand," Akashi answered, with a small nod of his head, "and perhaps, as you and Kuroko have shown me, I should take more care to balance my perspective on victory and accomplishments. Yet, even so, I still feel as though it is my duty to always try my best to succeed, even if I must learn to accept failure."

"I agree," Furihata responded. Akashi turned his head towards his boyfriend, surprised.

"I know I can't change you,” Furihata continued. “You're always going to want to win. And I don't even _want_ to change you. Because, it's one of the things I like about you, Akashi-kun. I can't imagine being able to do anything like that." He stopped for a moment and sighed, then continued on. "I don't want to make you stop trying to reach perfection, because I know you're capable of that. But I also don't want you to feel like you have to do it all on your own. I may not be good for much, but I'll always help a teammate or a friend in need. And, so, if it's okay with you, Akashi-kun, I want to help you become the best in everything. Not because you can't do it alone -- I know you can --but because you shouldn't have to. After all the things you've told me about, I just feel like you've been alone for too long. And I know it's probably better now, now that you've made up with the rest of the Generation of Miracles and you've been trying to hang out more with your friends from Rakuzan. But, I never want you to have to feel like that again. I'm always here for you. B-because…I really care about you…Akashi-kun."

Akashi's eyes widened and he felt his breath catch in his throat. He had, by now, come to understand the views that others held of his nearly unblemished record. There were those that looked upon it with awe and reverence, but also a certain fear, refusing to treat Akashi as a peer out of deference to his inhuman competency. Others, like his father, saw it as an expectation, something which he must continue to uphold or risk losing himself. And the third sort of person saw Akashi's perfectionistic tendencies as something he had to get over; it was something that they believed was caused only by external pressures and needed to be erased for Akashi's own sake. But rarely had anyone accepted Akashi's gifts for what they were -- a blessing and a curse in one, neither righteous nor evil, but merely the reality of Akashi's existence.

But here was Furihata Kouki, as always, the most extraordinary person Akashi had ever had the pleasure to meet. Unlike those who would pressure Akashi either to continue to push himself further towards excellence or to abandon the pursuit altogether, Furihata's sudden confession was surprisingly nuanced and empathetic. In fact, there were only two people Akashi could recall with ease who had ever encouraged Akashi to take pride in his achievements, while also showing concern for the pressure he placed upon himself, those people being his mother and Nijimura. But Furihata's statement was still unique in its boldness.

_If it's okay with you, Akashi-kun, I want to help you become the best in everything. Not because you can't do it alone -- I know you can --but because you shouldn't have to._

Akashi didn't wish for anyone to hold him in esteem simply for performing to expectations -- for often they were not even his father's expectations, simply the least Akashi could give in reciprocation of the talents he had been blessed with. Nor did he wish for anyone's pity -- he was capable and willing of finding success in every endeavor. Yet, Furihata offered neither. He offered admiration tempered by understanding. And, what's more, he acknowledged Akashi's desire to do his best, while still showing compassion and concern for him. It was a rare occasion that anyone had offered to help Akashi achieve his goals, and, in doing so, to acknowledge both the virtue and the burden of his life's calling. For someone to offer to share that burden with him…Akashi could swear that he wanted to add Furihata's name to his family register right then.

"Furihata-kun," Akashi began. He felt his pulse grow faster in his chest -- and even in the veins in his neck -- as his mind searched furiously for the proper response. Though Furihata had managed to once again catch him off-guard, Akashi would fight to maintain his composure, if only to ensure that he provided an adequate word of thanks in return for Furihata's declaration. "I honestly believe that is one of the kindest things that anyone has ever said to me."

Furihata smiled weakly at Akashi, turning his head back towards the game screen as a deep, red blush appeared.

"Well…it's kind of like you said, when you confessed to me earlier and I said you were too kind," Furihata replied, as he aimed his gun at the video screen and placed his foot back on the pedal. "It's not kindness. It's just the truth." Furihata glanced back over at Akashi for a moment and smiled, crimson still coloring his cheeks. "Right?" he asked, as though requiring confirmation, before retuning his eyes to the game screen and resuming his counterattack on the approaching terrorists.

Akashi closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. To admit that Furihata had successfully turned his own words back at him felt, in some ways, like conceding defeat. Yet, curiously, Akashi found himself smiling at this new development. Nijimura had once again been correct in his prediction that Furihata would find ways to surpass Akashi's expectations.

"Right," Akashi answered, repositioning his hold on his gun. With a single nod of his head, he focused back in on the game and began shooting. Unfortunately, Akashi's generally impeccable ability to concentrate on the task at hand was impaired by the strange tingling sensation in his gut that seemed to radiate throughout his body. Akashi gripped his weapon more forcefully, his arm muscles bristling with tension. If there was one thing he still failed to understand about his conversation earlier that week with Nijimura, it was how his former captain could find his apprehension towards romance amusing or endearing, when, truthfully, it was such a frustrating pursuit that Akashi had every reason to approach it with caution. Under any other circumstances, he would have found his current lack of self-discipline unacceptable -- and, as it stood, it was a greatly irritating. Yet, he endured it for one essential reason: Furihata was worth it.

"Akashi, watch out!" Furihata cried. Akashi's eyes widened as he processed the presence of an enemy gunman at point blank range. He aimed his gun and pulled the trigger, but could already sense that he was a second too late. In any moment, he would hear the sound of shattering glass, and his goal -- as well as Furihata's -- would be out of reach. Already his chest felt heavy. Had he grown complacent in the wake of learning to accept defeat? He gritted his teeth and felt sweat collecting on his palms where he leveled his weapon. Then, in a fraction of a second, Akashi watched as his opponent fell to the ground -- dead.

Immediately, Akashi pulled his foot off the pedal to protect his character from the next onslaught of firing enemies. Inhaling deeply, he ran through the last sequence in his mind. If he understood the timing of the game correctly -- and he had been playing for quite some time now -- it should not have been possible for him to hit his adversary in the short amount of time that would have transpired between when Akashi had noticed the enemy and his automated attack time. In other words…

"That was a close call, Akashi-kun!" Furihata cautioned lightly. "Don't go sleeping on me when we're so close to winning!"

Akashi smiled, despite the somewhat harsh words. "Thank you," he replied sincerely. He readied himself to resume fighting, this time with the utmost concentration. Furihata had promised to help him defeat the entire game in a single life, and, so far, had made good on his word. Akashi was determined to ensure that Furihata's efforts were not in vain.

"On the right!" Akashi called, reorienting himself to take notice of Furihata's screen as well as his own.

"Got it!" Furihata replied. Akashi listened as Furihata took his foot off the pedal, squeezed his trigger, and activated the weapon change menu.

_Machine Gun,_ the game prompted, as Akashi heard the pedal being slammed back down. A shower of bullets overtook the right side of the screen as Furihata took the approaching terrorists down en masse. Akashi sent his character back into the crouching position to take note of his next opening.

"This is it, Akashi-kun. I think we're at the final stage now," Furihata said, still holding his trigger down and expending the last of his machine gun ammunition. "Think we can do it?"

"Don't be absurd, Furihata-kun," Akashi retorted, as he completed a complex sequence of pistol shots and dodges. "There is no doubt in my mind that we will succeed."

"Because you are absolute?" Furihata asked, through a cheery laugh.

"No, Furihata-kun," Akashi replied with a grin, "because _we_ are." And with a small, deep chuckle, like the beginning of a laugh that never came, Akashi fired off another round and resumed his commands.

***

"So, would you like to play another game before we go?" Akashi asked, as he fastidiously entered his name into _Time Crisis 4_ 's high-score rankings. He glanced over at Furihata, who took a look down at his wristwatch.

"It's getting kinda late," Furihata replied. "I know you have an exam soon, and I need to study too, so maybe we should go back now."

"All right," Akashi agreed, setting down the gun with a smile as his name took the highest spot on the leaderboard. This was hardly Akashi's first time seeing his name at the top of an arcade game -- especially given Hayama's penchant for visiting this particular location -- but, somehow, today's victory felt more like an achievement and less like an obligation. The game complete, Akashi allowed his eyes to focus on the companion at his side whom he now had the pleasure of calling his boyfriend. Quite recently in his life, he couldn't have imagined feeling as content as he did at this moment: proud of himself, grateful to the one who had assisted him, and, more than anything, secure in the knowledge that someone was there to help him fulfill his goals and duties. He smiled at Furihata, and felt a twinge of heat rise in his cheeks when Furihata's eyes squinted and his cheeks dimpled as a bright smile appeared in reply.

"So, ready to go?" Furihata asked, angling himself towards the exit.

"Yes," Akashi responded, in a voice that was cool and automatic, prompting Furihata to begin walking towards the door. Normally, Akashi would have met Furihata's stride before eventually overtaking it, setting the pace of their walk. Yet, somehow Akashi found himself lagging behind, overcome by the most unfamiliar and sudden desire. He found himself imagining Furihata's warmth, as he had only experienced in brief moments. The thoughts of their legs brushing each other as they sat side-by-side on the couch, their arms around one another when they met at the train station, or their hands clasped as they shook on a good game of one-on-one, nagged at Akashi's mind. It was as though something of urgent importance had caught Akashi's attention, and his brain was ordering him to act quickly. He stopped advancing towards the exit, merely watching Furihata stride ahead and allowing his eyes to take in the sight. His body was overcome by heat as he allowed himself to process the true extent of his desire at that moment to hold on to Furihata -- to cling to him, even, as if to physically affirm his yearning for their souls to never again be separated. Akashi tried desperately to clutch onto the most rational thoughts in his mind at that moment, but knew that he would not escape the feeling of disappointment if he was not able to feel the other's tender touch.

Making up his mind, Akashi began walking forward once more, quickening his pace to match Furihata's. When they were finally side by side, he closed the gap between himself and his boyfriend, and allowed his right arm to dangle, so that his right hand would occasionally brush over Furihata's left. When their hands finally made too much contact to ignore, Furihata looked over at Akashi, his eyes becoming wide. Though he said nothing, there was anticipation in his soft, but intense stare. As though responding to a silent question, Akashi reached over, and took Furihata's hand in his own, feeling his heart pick up speed as he did so. He silently prayed that he had not mistaken the intention in Furihata's gaze.

Fortunately, he was met with the warmth of fingers interlocking with his own, and the transformation of Furihata's hesitant face into the warm grin that Akashi most adored.

Furihata moved in closer, so that they walked almost shoulder to shoulder, and said, softly, "Thanks, Akashi-kun. I had a ton of fun today."

Akashi smiled -- widely and openly, in a way he rarely allowed others to see. "I did as well, Furihata-kun," he responded.

"M-maybe…we can go again, sometime?" Furihata asked nervously.

"Of course, Furihata-kun," Akashi replied warmly, squeezing Furihata's hand gently, "nothing would make me happier."

***

_Mimesis, or mimicry, is a form of camouflage in which the organism resembles another organism or an object which is either disinteresting or dangerous. This resemblance may be protective, in which the mimicry is used to evade predators, as in the case of the dead leaf butterfly, or it may be aggressive, camouflaging a predator, such as the green frogfish, so that it may attack unsuspecting prey,_ Akashi recited in his head as he sat on his bed, staring vacantly at the white walls of his dorm room. He looked down at the open textbook on his lap, to confirm that he had remembered its contents perfectly, before inhaling slowly and returning his gaze to the blank space in front of him. _Another form of camouflage, called aposematism, or warning coloration, is used by organisms to denote toxicity…_

A short but sharp knock interrupted Akashi's studying, causing him to look over towards the door, his eyes narrow and his lips pursed.  He noticed Furihata's head turn as well, from where he was seated at Akashi's desk, yet neither boy made a motion towards the door. A second later, the knock was followed by furious, rhythmic set of bangs.

"I'll get it," Furihata said, pushing back his chair and standing to face the entrance to the room.

"Hey, Akashi!" a loud and energetic voice cried from the hallway, while its owner proceeded with his deafening knocks.

Akashi placed the open biology textbook at his side and sighed softly.

"There's no need to be so loud, Kotarou!" he heard a second voice scold, though the sound was muffled by the large wooden door. "Exam week is coming up; you'll interrupt everyone's studying."

Furihata opened the door, revealing the three uncrowned kings of Rakuzan. Hayama Kotarou stood in front. His hand was outstretched, still curled into a fist as though he meant to continue pounding at the door before Furihata had pulled it aside. Mibuchi Reo stood just to Hayama's left with his hands on his hips, shooting the eager blond a look of disapproval. Behind them was Nebuya Eikichi, who watched his friends with an amused smile.

"Oh! Hey, Furi!" Hayama said with a smile, pulling his hand back and giving a small wave. "Nice to see you again!"

"Kou-chan!" Mibuchi greeted, the critical look on his face morphing into a grin as he opened his arms and brushed past Hayama to engulf Furihata. "It's so nice to have you back!"

"U-uh…hi…Reo-nee," Furihata squeaked, struggling for breath under the force of Mibuchi's strong clasp. 

"Hey, Reo-nee, don't kill him," Hayama chided. 

"You might not have my strength, but you're still much bigger than him," Nebuya said.

"I'm just saying hello," said Mibuchi, defending himself with a slight pout, though he loosened his grip on Furihata and took a step back. His hands now clutching Furihata's shoulders at an arm's length, Mibuchi gave Furihata a once over. "You're looking so cute today, as always, Kou-chan! Although," he reprimanded, moving his hands away, "you have some nerve, wearing that Winter Cup t-shirt, young man!"

Akashi watched the scene at the door unfold from his perch on his bed with a small grin. Perhaps a lesser man would have become jealous of the way Mibuchi behaved around his boyfriend, but Akashi knew well that this was Mibuchi's usual greeting.  Frankly, Mibuchi seemed so motherly towards Furihata that Akashi almost expected the next sentence out of his mouth to be, "My, how you've grown!" And though it may not have been the most dignified conversation, Akashi felt a sense of peace in observing his friends crowd around Furihata in the doorway. It was a great reassurance to know they were able to relate to his boyfriend, even if many others in the world failed to see his worth.

"Yeah, watch out!" Nebuya cautioned. "My muscle dunks will be even stronger this year! We'll crush Seirin this time!"

"No, you won't!" Furihata snapped, as his hands fidgeted with the hem of his t-shirt. "Seirin will win again this year," he said. He started to tremble slightly, but his voice was firm. "I'm sure!"

Mibuchi gave an audible gasp. "Kou-chan, you're becoming so much more confident!" he marveled.

With no one in his dorm room to notice, Akashi smiled proudly.

"Akashi's rubbing off on him," Hayama teased.

Furihata blushed and diverted his gaze, his fingers still playing with the bottom of his shirt.

"And, Kou-chan," Mibuchi added, "is it just me, or are you wearing cologne today?"

The redness of Furihata's cheeks darkened as he looked down at his shoes and replied, "Y-yes."

Akashi bristled. Despite having spent all day on date with Furihata, he hadn't picked up on the scent that Mibuchi had been able to detect in just a few minutes. Of course, for all Akashi's powers of observation, he was willing to acknowledge that Mibuchi was more attuned to matters of fashion and beauty. Even so, it frustrated Akashi that he had missed any detail, no matter how small, regarding Furihata. Then again, Akashi realized, for most of their date they had stood apart on either side of the game machine. Aside from their one embrace at the train station -- during which Akashi's mind had been preoccupied with preparing for his confession -- and holding hands on the walk home, he and Furihata had not been in close proximity. He looked down at his bedsheets, once again struck by thoughts of putting his arms around Furihata, and feeling uneasy by the overwhelming power these daydreams held over him. He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly through his nose. Attraction towards one's love was a normal phenomenon. He needed to stop overanalyzing it and accept it for what it was. Unfortunately, acceptance was one of the few things which did not come easily to Akashi. He began to consider his situation, when Mibuchi's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"So…were you trying to impress someone?" Mibuchi asked Furihata with a smirk, batting his eyelashes slightly.

"Well…uh…y-you s-see…" Furihata stuttered quietly .

"Mibuchi," Akashi said, forcefully, standing from the bed and walking towards the doorway. He was not going to stand for this awkward questioning. "I believe there is something which Furihata-kun and I should announce."

Mibuchi brought a hand to his open mouth, but closed it quickly, perhaps sensing that gaping was impolite. As he sealed his lips, a knowing smile crossed his face that gave Akashi pause.

Akashi walked to Furihata's side and offered his left hand. Furihata smiled at him, releasing his right hand from where he clutched onto his shirt and intertwining his fingers with Akashi's.

"Furihata-kun and I are now dating," Akashi announced proudly. He looked over at his boyfriend, who nodded shyly for affirmation, then turned back to see his teammates' reactions. All three smiled, but, curiously, none of them looked surprised.

"Oh, Sei-chan, Kou-chan, I'm so happy for you!" Mibuchi cried, placing a hand on his chest as he beamed at them, eyes brimming with emotion. "You two are so sweet together."

"Thank you, Mibuchi," Akashi replied politely. "We're happy to have the support of our friends."

"Yes!" Furihata added quickly, and gave a small bow. "Thank you, Reo-nee."

"Yeah, congrats!" Nebuya added, moving around his teammates to give Furihata and Akashi quick pats on the back. Akashi tried not to wince at the small slap that hit much harder than he suspected Nebuya was aware. Feeling Furihata suddenly squeeze his hand tightly, Akashi inferred that his boyfriend was attempting to do likewise.

Hayama, for once, said nothing, but Akashi thought he caught him muttering something along the lines of, "It's about time," under his breath. Somewhat puzzled by the comment, Akashi chose to ignore what he may have heard. 

"I appreciate all of your congratulations," Akashi began in a controlled and authoritative voice, "however; I do wish to know what originally brought all of you here."

"Ah…" Mibuchi began, but was immediately interrupted by Hayama, who jumped in front of him with a giant grin and wide grey eyes that seemed to sparkle in his excitement.

"Reo-nee and I are having a movie night in our room!" he answered. "You and Furi should come over too. We've got a really good movie this time!"

"And which movie would that be?" Akashi asked.

Hayama's smile turned smug and his glinting eyes suggested mischief. " _Space Jam,_ " he said proudly, "it's a classic. And it's got _Michael Jordan_ in it," he nearly drooled, "I mean, talk about a _badass!_ "

"I see," Akashi replied.

"Oh, come on, Akashi!" Hayama whined. "Please join us! Pleaaaaaase?"

"Furihata-kun?" Akashi asked, his hands still intertwined with Furihata's. He was about to ask Furihata for his opinion, when he noticed the way his boyfriend's eyes widened at Hayama's suggestion and his eager smile.

" _Space Jam!_ " Furihata answered, "Kagami says that's one of his favorite movies! I've been wanting to see it."

"Sweet!" Hayama exclaimed. "I think we're gonna stop at the cafeteria first to grab something to eat before we watch the movie."

"Good," Nebuya said, putting a hand on his abdomen, "I'm starving!"

"Yeah, well, you better eat up at the cafeteria, then," Hayama said, "I'm not letting you near our food again. You ate all of Reo and I's snacks last movie night! So if you want something to eat during the movie, _you're_ paying for it this time!"

"All right," Nebuya replied, "but no complaining that I'm taking too long to eat, then."

"It's best that we go to the cafeteria now, then," Akashi suggested. "We wouldn't want to end the movie too late, since we have practice early in the morning tomorrow."

"W-wait!" Furihata stammered, tugging on Akashi's hand. Akashi immediately looked over at his boyfriend, who stared at him, concerned. "Akashi-kun, do you still have to study?  I know I said I wanted to see the movie, but you never said if you did.  I don't want to make you watch it, if you don't want to, or if you need to study for your exam."

Akashi closed his eyes and smiled. Furihata was not mistaken -- he hadn't finished all that he had meant to study that night, nor was he especially enthusiastic about the movie, given his skepticism of Hayama's taste in films. Surely, Furihata could sense this, as Akashi knew that he had a talent for careful observation. Indeed, had he been alone, Akashi would likely have told his teammates that he needed to finish studying for exams, and forgone the movie night altogether. But Furihata's enthusiasm forced Akashi to reconsider.

Thanks in large part to suggestions from Kuroko, Mibuchi, and Furihata, Akashi had been trying to participate in more activities with his friends, whenever possible. Of course, there was a limit to how often he could commit to social events, given that he was still team captain, student council president, the top of his class, and expected to attend various meetings for his father's company. Yet, Akashi knew, rationally, that he had memorized all of the information on camouflage for his biology exam. Though he wished to check his facts against the book once more, it was a mere precaution. These were the times when Akashi needed to learn to force himself to rest and enjoy the simple pleasure of his friends' company. After all, he always enjoyed their companionship, so long as he could justify occupying his time with something as trivial as _Space Jam_. Fortunately, Akashi's desire to make Furihata happy was all the justification he needed. And, perhaps, this was part of what drew him to Seirin's point guard, no matter how fearful and ordinary he seemed to others. He reminded Akashi that the simple pleasures in life were just as meaningful as -- if not more meaningful than -- all the "imperative" responsibilities he had taken on over the years.

"It's alright, Furihata-kun," Akashi replied, gently rubbing his thumb over the base of Furihata's hand before letting go and walking towards the wall to turn out the lights. "I've studied enough for tonight. You're always encouraging me to take breaks, after all," he chuckled lightly, and noticed both Furihata and Mibuchi's faces light up in return. 

"Kou-chan is a good influence on you, you know?" Mibuchi said softy.

"I am aware," Akashi answered, as he gazed at Furihata, a tender smile crossing his lips. This caused Furihata to blush.

"Oh, please, I can't do all this sappy stuff like Reo-nee can," Hayama complained. "I think I'll just leave you two lovebirds here. Come on Nebuya, Reo-nee." He turned and began to walk into the open hallway, motioning for his two classmates to join him.

"Excuse me," Akashi called out coldly. "You cannot simply invite us, only to leave us behind."

"Says who?" Hayama replied over his shoulder.

"Kotarou!" Reo scolded.

"You're pressing your luck now," Nebuya whispered.

"Leave if you want," Akashi said, ominously. "I'll simply triple your training menus for tomorrow. The rest of the team, and Furihata-kun, will enjoy an extended water break as we watch you."

"Hey, hey!" Hayama said, turning around. "I was just teasing you!" He hastily bowed. "I'm sorry, Akashi! I'm not leaving, I promise!"

Akashi looked at Hayama, confused. "I was aware," he replied. "I was joking as well."

"Huh?" Hayama lifted his head and raised one eyebrow.  "It sounded pretty serious to me."

"Sei-chan," Mibuchi sighed. "You still don't know how to make a joke."

Akashi felt his breath shorten and his forehead furrow at Reo's criticism, and he wracked his brain for a fitting comeback. There had to be something he could say to prove the virtue of his own wit. He would not back away from a challenge so easily! However, he was distracted by the sound of Furihata's laughter from behind him.

"Maybe not," Furihata agreed, "but you can't really blame him. I mean, he's good at everything else, right?"

Akashi turned around to stare at Furihata. Furihata diverted his gaze, trying to suppress a giggle.

"I know I shouldn't laugh, Akashi-kun," Furihata said, trying to hide his smile, "but it was pretty funny how everyone else took you so seriously. And it makes me feel kinda better. Because I definitely think it's okay for you to make mistakes sometimes. And, if you can make mistakes, then, you know, maybe I shouldn't be so afraid of all the ones I make." He looked up anxiously at Akashi, whose expression remained still for a moment. "L-like…that. That was probably a mistake to say…" Furihata trailed off.

Akashi felt his facial muscles soften and he took a step back to stand at Furihata's side. Placing an arm around his shoulder, Akashi said, softly, "No, it wasn't a mistake. In fact, I appreciate what you just said. And you have nothing to fear, you make far fewer mistakes that you imagine you do."

Basking in the light of the hopeful smile Furihata returned to him, Akashi tried to internalize his boyfriend's words. Perhaps had no talent for making jokes, but was it worth stressing over, at that moment, when there were so many things he was already skilled at? (But one day he would certainly perfect this art of humor which had managed to evade him for so long!)

He glanced ahead, in the direction of his snickering teammates, who had made no progress towards the cafeteria. Akashi felt the corner of his lips pull up into a small grin as he gently pulled his arm away from Furihata and strode towards the front of the group. Some things might require his work, but others came with ease.

"I believe we were headed to the cafeteria, were we not? We should be getting on our way," he stated. Effortlessly, his teammates fell in line behind him. Akashi lead the way, only taking one short glance behind him to observe the look of admiration on Furihata's face.

***

"So, what did everyone think of the movie!?" Hayama asked, as he leaned off the side of Mibuchi's bed to grab the remote from the floor and switch off the television.

"It was good up until the part where you started shrieking along with the ending song," Mibuchi moaned.

"What?" Hayama asked, still dangling head-first off the bed. " _I believe I can fly!_ " he began again, _"I believe I can touch the sky!"_

"Enough!" Mibuchi scolded, sliding towards the end the bed to separate himself from his singing roommate. He shot a look of disgust at Hayama -- the sort of expression he normally reserved for truly gruesome occurrences, such as color-clashing wardrobe disasters. "If you keep singing -- if you can even call it singing -- I'm not letting you watch movies on my bed again. You'll just have to stare down at them from the top bunk."

The threat caused Hayama to quiet himself and sit properly on the bed.

"Hey, I'll trade!" Nebuya offered, pointing to the shell-shaped fold-out chair underneath him, which sat so low to the ground that his knees came up to his chest.

"No thanks," Hayama said with a grimace. "I'm too tall for it, too."

"Then why do you have this chair?" Nebuya asked.

"Akashi's short enough for it," Hayama offered in reply. "But he's on the couch."

"I do believe I have reason to be entitled to it," Akashi smiled, gently rubbing small circles along Furihata's right shoulder as he sat with his arm curled around his boyfriend's back.

"Of course," Hayama snickered, "the star-crossed point guards of Seirin and Rakuzan."

Akashi chose to ignore Hayama's teasing, instead remaining focused on Furihata, until his energetic teammate spoke again.

"So, anyway, what did you think of the movie, Akashi?" Hayama asked.

"It was entertaining," Akashi replied. "Though I could have done without your insistence that the Monstars were based on the Generation of Miracles, and that I was the short, red alien."

"You have to admit though, rainbow-colored basketball aliens?" Nebuya laughed, "It kind of fits."

Akashi merely sent Nebuya a glare, and the issue was dropped.

"So, what did you think, Nebuya!?" Hayama asked again, perhaps to diffuse the sudden, quiet tension in the room.

Yet, if Nebuya responded, his comments were lost on Akashi, who zoned out of the conversation as he pondered Hayama's question more deeply. The movie had, indeed, been more entertaining that he had expected. Despite the absurd premise, it was charming in its execution, and Akashi suspected it might have been the sort of film he would have enjoyed as a child, had his father not steered him towards more sophisticated media. Furthermore, it was subtitled, rather than dubbed, allowing Akashi a chance to practice his English by avoiding looking at the bottom of the screen. And, finally, he thought, his eyes studying the boy nestled at his side, it had given him the opportunity he had imagined in his head all day, to rest alongside Furihata, feeling the warmth of his boyfriend's body pressed so closely against his own. Every time he ran his fingers along Furihata's arm or back, he felt a sudden constriction in his chest and a rise in his pulse. But, despite these nerves, Akashi felt a sense of peace by Furihata's side that he hadn't known in years -- certainly, not since his mother's death, and perhaps even before.

Furihata turned slightly to his left, his eyes focusing on Akashi for a moment, before his body slouched, and he rested his head against Akashi's shoulder.

"Are you tired, Furihata-kun?" Akashi asked softly, allowing his hand to trail up Furihata's arm as his boyfriend curled up at his side. Furihata nodded and closed his eyes.

Akashi felt warmth grow inside of him as he lifted his hand and placed it in Furihata's soft tresses, allowing flyaway wisps of light brown to pass through his fingers as he tenderly stroked Furihata's hair. This warmth wasn't the heat of embarrassment, nervousness, or even desire, but a gentle and calming sensation, like curling up under a blanket. There was a beautiful reassurance in the sensation of Furihata's head underneath his fingertips, as though Furihata's physical presence were a refuge from his fears and responsibilities. Each touch sent vibrations through his spine, and, for once, Akashi took no action to control them.

"Aww, Sei-chan," Mibuchi interrupted, causing Akashi's relaxed shoulders to stiffen as his head turned and he snapped to attention. "You two are just so cute together."

"Thank you," Akashi replied, still absentmindedly brushing Furihata's hair with his hand.

"So tell me," Mibuchi continued in a sing-song voice, a contented yet mischievous grin appearing on his face, "which one of you confessed?"

Furihata opened his eyes and perked up slightly, moving his head to an alert position, while still leaning most of his weight on Akashi's side.

"I did," Akashi responded.

 Mibuchi eyed Hayama and then Nebuya with a look of pride. "I guess you each owe me 2,000 yen," he smiled as he suppressed a giggle. "I told you that Sei-chan would take action sooner or later. It's not really in his nature not to take things into his own hands."

"W-wait!" Furihata exclaimed, "You guys were placing betson which one of us would confess!?" He turned a bright shade of red before suddenly burying himself into Akashi's side. Akashi wrapped his arm comfortingly around Furihata and held him close.

"Don't make me sound stupid, just because I have faith in our Chihuahua." Hayama replied with a playful bitterness. "Akashi doesn't like to talk about his feelings too much, remember. I wasn't even sure if he even _realized_ how much he likes Furihata. He seemed pretty oblivious about it for a long time."

Akashi frowned. Something didn't settle well with him in hearing that adjective "oblivious" attached to his name, but while he longed to protest Hayama's statement, he couldn't deny that it had taken him some time to come to terms with his feelings for Furihata. Seeing no way to make a case in his own defense, Akashi remained quiet.

Nebuya nodded. "Furi doesn't hide how he feels about stuff. When he's happy, he smiles, when he's scared, he shakes. It made sense to me that he'd say something first."

"Well…actually…" Furihata mumbled, slowly pulling himself away from Akashi's arms to sit up and face his boyfriend's teammates properly. He looked the uncrowned kings in their eyes for a moment, before diverting his eyes to the floor. "…I was thinking about it," he admitted, softly. "I just wasn't brave enough to actually say anything." He exhaled a long, slow breath, then turned, and looked at Akashi straight on.

"Reo-nee was right…I wore cologne today because I wanted to impress someone. I usually don't," Furihata confessed. "I've liked you for a while, Akashi, but I was so scared to say anything. I've made confessions before and, well, it's never gone very well. But part of me thought that maybe you liked me too. So I tried to fix my hair -- that didn't really work though --" he said, patting down flyaway strands of his hair, "and I wore this cologne my mom bought me one time but I never use. I didn't dress up or anything like that, because I thought that might be weird, since I didn't actually think we'd go on a date today. But," he smiled, "I guess I got lucky!"

"For what it's worth, darling, I happen to like your hair as it is," Akashi said softly while looking straight into Furihata's eyes, trying to block out their audience. He drew his hand up to Furihata's face and gently stroked his cheek. "And there's no need to feel ashamed about being afraid to confess. I must admit, I, myself, was frightened by the prospect. I had to ask my former captain, Nijimura-san, for advice before I was able to do so."

"Akashi asking for advice?" Hayama laughed.

"You really must have been scared!" Nebuya said.

"Hey, don't make Sei-chan tense up any more than he already does," Mibuchi scolded. "There's nothing wrong with being scared. Everyone's afraid of something." 

"Or a lot of somethings," Furihata laughed nervously.

"It doesn't matter if you’re afraid of a lot of things, Kou-chan," Mibuchi said reassuringly. "You're dating Sei-chan after all! Most people would consider that pretty brave! You and Sei-chan both just need to remember that sometimes it's worth just trying things. You might be surprised how well it goes."

"It's interesting that you say that," Akashi said. "Nijimura-san told me something very similar."

"He's very wise then," Mibuchi said, smirking. "Is he cute too?"

"Hey!" Nebuya protested. "Don't get us sidetracked, Reo! I want to learn more about Akashi and Furihata's new romance."

"Ooh, I have a question! Where did you go for your date?" Hayama burst in, leaning forward on the edge of the bed.

"Knowing Akashi, probably something very elegant and expensive, like a fancy restaurant" Nebuya guessed.

Furihata and Akashi chuckled together.

"Indeed, that was one of my suggestions," Akashi replied.

"But Akashi wanted me to pick, since it had been his idea to confess," Furihata finished. "So I decided I wanted to go to that arcade you took us to once, Hayama!"

"Oh, man!" Hayama laughed, "It's hard to imagine Akashi on such a casual first date."

"I admit," Akashi responded, "I was a bit skeptical over whether it was enough. I was under the impression, perhaps mistakenly, that going on a date was somewhat more of a ritual, since certainly couples spend time together outside of the formality of such special occurrences."

Akashi tried to ignore the heat rising in his cheeks as his three teammates fought to hold back a sudden burst of chuckles.

"Sei-chan, you're so cute!" Mibuchi said, beaming.

"Everything you know about dating is from books isn't it?" Hayama laughed.

Akashi shot a cold look at his teammates. What other sources of information would he have to go by, when his busy schedule hardly allowed him the time to pursue romance? Not to mention that, as it was, Furihata was only the second person, after Nijimura, that Akashi had even felt the faintest interest in romancing.

"Well, I've never been on a date either," Furihata replied, before Akashi could voice his protests. "And he's not wrong. Something like going to dinner is more of a traditional date. But Akashi-kun and I don't need to get to know each other. We just wanted to spend time together. So the arcade seemed perfect."

"Sounds fun to me," Nebuya agreed.

Akashi and Furihata both nodded and there was a moment's pause, until Hayama broke the silence. "Let's see…" he mused, "What else should we ask them, Reo-nee?"

"Well, you haven't asked them the really juicy questions yet, Kotarou," Mibuchi responded coyly. "After all, this is both Sei-chan and Kou-chan's first time dating someone. So of course, there's something I have to know."

Akashi felt a slight vibration against his leg, and turned to notice Furihata beginning to rock his legs back and forth unconsciously. He moved his hand to rest atop Furihata's shoulder, sensing that Mibuchi's coquettish expression was making Furihata uncomfortable. 

"What was your first kiss like?" Mibuchi asked, eliciting open-mouthed gapes and giggles from his teammates. 

Akashi shot up in his seat, feeling a sudden emptiness in the pit of his stomach. He felt Furihata's legs at his side begin to shake more rapidly. He glanced over at his boyfriend, noting the wary look in his eyes, his flushed cheeks, and the way his upper body was beginning to tremble now as well. And while Akashi knew that he looked somewhat calmer than Furihata, the feeling of heat rising within his body did not bode well for maintaining his composure.

"Mibuchi," Akashi stated, concentrating on keeping his voice level, "Furihata-kun and I have only begun dating. Surely, such things will arise with due time."

"You mean you haven't even kissed yet?" Mibuchi gasped.

"N-no…" Furihata stammered. Akashi dropped his hand to his side and slowly reached for Furihata's hand, so as to give it a reassuring squeeze.

"Awww, come on guys! Kiss, kiss, kiss!" Hayama urged.

Furihata squeezed Akashi's hand back even tighter.

"If I may," Akashi interrupted Hayama's chanting, "I do not view romantic gestures as a checklist to be marked off and completed. Are they not supposed to be acts of love, based in mutual feeling? Certainly, I will one day kiss Furihata, but I will not do so until I believe that the time is right for both of us. It is not something I wish to do carelessly."

"You plan everything out, don't you?" Hayama sighed.

"Yes," Akashi answered, "I believe that is best." He looked over at Furihata, hoping to confirm that he had given a sufficient answer to his teammates' prying question. However, he was surprised to see Furihata looking even worse for the wear, staring down at the floor with a deep red blush covering his face.

"Romance isn't really something you can plan out, though, Sei-chan," Mibuchi said. "It takes experience, and even then it will never be perfect."

 Akashi tried to pay some heed to Mibuchi's words -- which, again, reminded him of what Nijimura had told him earlier in the week -- however, he was somewhat distracted by Furihata's demeanor, especially when he suddenly registered that Furihata was no longer holding his hand.  

"Furihata-kun, is everything alright?" Akashi asked.

"I-I…" Furihata stammered, "I agree, that romance shouldn't be a checklist of stuff you do. That's why I didn't want to do a dinner date or anything like that. B-but…uuh…what if I ever wanted -- I mean hypothetically!! -- w-what if I…you know…w-wanted to k-k-kiss you, sometime?"

"If you felt that such a gesture would be appropriate, I trust your judgement, Furihata-kun," Akashi replied, placing his hand on Furihata's back to steady him. "There is nothing to fear. Do not feel pressured to rush into anything, but if you one day wish to convey your feelings to me in such a way, I will not stand opposed, my darling." When he finished speaking, he stared into Furihata's eyes, awaiting confirmation for what he said. Furihata nodded and seemed to regain some composure. With a smile, Akashi gently rubbed Furihata's back one more time, before letting go, turning his arm towards himself, and pushing his sleeve back to check his wristwatch.  He looked up at his teammates.

"I am afraid that it is getting rather late," Akashi said. "Seeing as we have practice early in the morning tomorrow, I think that it is best for us to head back to our own rooms. Thank you, Mibuchi, Hayama, for inviting us over. It was a very enjoyable evening, and I would be happy to attend any movie nights in the future."

"No problem, Akashi," Hayama said. "I'm really glad you came. It's more fun with all of us here."

"Yes, it's nice to see you so happy, Sei-chan," Mibuchi agreed, beaming at his kouhai. "You too, Kou-chan!" he added, turning his gaze towards Furihata.

"It was fun. We should do it again sometime," Nebuya said, standing up and grunting as he uncurled himself from the fold-out chair. "Although, next time," he added, stretching one hand back with the other until his knuckles cracked, "I get a better seat!"

"Thanks for inviting me," Furihata added, politely. "I really appreciate how welcoming you all are."

"Any time, Furi!" Hayama replied, shooting Akashi's date a thumbs-up.

Akashi scooted forward in his seat, preparing to stand up, when he heard Furihata stammer, "a-and, Akashi-kun."

Akashi sat back and turned towards his boyfriend. He was surprised to see that Furihata was once again shaking vigorously, so much so that drops of sweat were visible on his forehead.

"Furihata-kun?" Akashi asked.

"Thank you…" he began, looking Akashi straight on, brown irises locked on red. His eyes were opened wide, unblinking, and his face was becoming increasingly flushed. "…for e-everything t-today." His hands were trembling now, and Akashi took them quickly in his own, perplexed by Furihata's sudden bout of nerves. Then again, speaking candidly to one's partner took great care and courage, so he tried to remain calm, despite the feeling that his tofu from dinner was crawling around on spider's legs in his stomach.

"I k-know" Furihata began again, before taking a deep breath, attempting to quell the stutter in his speech. "I know I wasn't brave enough to confess sooner," he continued, without stumbling over his words this time, though Akashi was close enough to see Furihata sweating more profusely as he exerted extra effort into his words. "But I also think that you are an extraordinary person. Not just because you are the captain of Rakuzan or because you used to be the captain of the Generation of Miracles or because you're the heir to the Akashi family. But because you give everything you have to fulfill all those responsibilities because you want to help your family and your friends and your teammates, even when it's almost impossible for you to do it all at once. It makes me want to be brave too."

"You are brave, Furihata-kun" Akashi reassured, rubbing his thumbs over Furihata's palms. His eyes widened when Furihata pulled his hands away.

"Maybe," Furihata answered, "Reo-nee's right, though. Maybe other people don't see it, but you're kind of like me, Akashi-kun. You're cautious. And maybe, we need to sometimes just…try things."

Before Akashi could sort out what he meant by this statement, Furihata's hands were gripping at the collar of Akashi's shirt. Furihata pulled down with unabashed force, and Akashi felt like he was falling uncontrollably towards his boyfriend. The remains of tofu in his stomach felt heavier now and his heartbeat rose so quickly Akashi thought he could hear it beating. He wasn't sure whether he was being pulled closer to Furihata or if Furihata was pressing up against him. All he knew is that it was happening so quickly, almost as rapidly as his body temperature was rising. Their noses were almost touching now, and Akashi fought to regain composure before they collided. Instinctively, he turned his head to grant Furihata the access he desired, but his conscious mind struggled to adequately plan for what was happening. He decided to close his eyes -- that was, after all, how it always happened in films. Unfortunately, it left Akashi even less prepared for the moment to arise.

He briefly heard his teammate's reactions in the background. Hayama was yelling "Go get it, Furi!" while Mibuchi gasped and Nebuya gave a triumphant shout. But soon Akashi's ears were filled only with the sound of his heartbeat and his senses were nullified by anticipation.

Akashi hadn't rationally expected his first kiss to feel quite the way it was described in literature. The allegations that it was so mind-numbing and insatiable, like a burst of fireworks in one's heart, had always seemed hyperbolic. As usual, he was right. The softness of Furihata's lips felt damp and foreign against his own. He felt out of control from bewilderment rather than desire. His hands hung limp at his side and his body was dropping forward from the way Furihata clung to his collar. And instead of his consciousness being numbed, he was hyper-aware of how unprepared he had been for this strange sensation.

Yet, as Furihata pushed his lips boldly against Akashi's own, he couldn't help but push back desperately. He felt tenderness in the way Furihata's lips captured his, and reached a hand around Furihata's back to gently stoke his soft hair. Furihata released his collar and cradled his face with a touch that was cautious and gentle. As their bodies drew closer, Akashi felt the comforting warmth of Furihata's presence, and he parted his lips, if only to draw himself closer. The feel of Furihata's tongue entering his mouth was unfamiliar and wet, but they were so close now that Akashi could finally smell the cologne that Mibuchi had mentioned earlier, and he made a mental note to ask Furihata to wear it more often. Not wanting to relinquish all control, he pushed his own tongue past Furihata's lips, using his arms to pull his body ever closer to Furihata's in order to reach inside more deeply. He rarely felt as unskilled as he did now, unsure of what parts of Furihata's mouth to explore and still feeling ambivalent about the strange taste of saliva. But he asserted himself slowly and gently, hoping to convey in each movement any feelings he had never been able to voice with eloquence. Furihata moved just as slowly against his own lips, engaging Akashi in this artless dialogue. There was nothing perfect about the kiss -- it was messy and unsophisticated. But, as Akashi pulled away, stroking Furihata's cheek gently with the back of his hand, and gazing into eyes that looked back on him with admiration, he relished the feeling of having been momentarily so intertwined with the one to whom he wished to give his very soul.  What their kiss had lacked in refinement, it had compensated with sincerity.

Furihata then jerked away from Akashi, his face becoming red with embarrassment once more as he set his eyes on the uncrowned kings, and the fact that he had just kissed Akashi passionately in front of an audience finally sank in. Akashi merely continued to smile at him, extending his hand to Furihata to help him off the couch and accompany him back to his dorm room.

"I…I hope you didn't mind…Akashi-kun!" Furihata spoke frantically. "You said you wanted to wait but I really wanted to…I'm sorry, Akashi-kun...I hope…"

"It's alright," Akashi smiled at him, patting his hair before leaning in and placing a kiss against Furihata's cheek. "I do believe you exceeded my expectations."

***

"Hey, Akashi-kun?" Furihata called sleepily. The lights were now off in Akashi's dorm room, as Akashi had settled down in his bed, with Furihata on a futon beside him. Akashi was sitting up in bed, unaccustomed to long hours of sleep and still quite alert, while Furihata was curled up on his side, facing away from Akashi, his eyes already drooping and his voice soft.

"What is it?" Akashi asked.

"D-do you mind…if I call you Seijuurou?" Furihata asked, a small stutter coming over his tired drawl.

"Of course you may," Akashi responded, feeling his heart lift.

"Then, goodnight…Seijuurou," Furihata yawned.

"Goodnight, Kouki." Akashi smiled in return. Furihata gave no response to the use of his given name, and Akashi wondered if he had fallen asleep already. Though, if he had, it was probably for the best. Furihata had a rather long day, after all, having arrived on the train only that morning. It did seem like a part of the distant past, with how much had happened since then.

Akashi leaned back and sighed, hoping that he would soon feel ready to rest himself. Yet, as he glanced over at the table to the side of his bed, he remembered something he had nearly forgotten. Scolding himself for his carelessness, he pulled the charger cord out of his phone and flipped it open.

_I kept my promise to you, Nijimura-san._ He typed into the first chat on his messenger. _I confessed my feelings for Furihata-kun, as we had agreed._

He pressed send and waited anxiously for the reply.

_And?_  Was Nijimura’s only response. 

_He agreed to date me. In fact, he had originally wanted to confess himself, but, much like me, was afraid of the consequences._ Akashi responded, watching as the typing-in-progress bubble appeared onscreen.

_Who was right?_ Nijimura responded, after what seemed far too long a wait for such a simple answer.

Akashi began typing his response, but midway through his thoughts, was greeted with another message from Nijimura. This one read: _I knew he liked you too._  

Akashi let out an exasperated sigh, and continued to type his reply.

_I must thank you, Nijimura-san. Thanks to my decision to confess my feelings for Furihata-kun, I am now in a relationship with someone whom I believe I may truly love. Yet, I am unsure I would have found the courage to do so, if not for our conversation earlier. I appreciate you taking the time to talk me through this, especially realizing that it is only with some difficulty that I may take the advice of others. But, as usual, Nijimura-san, your insights are astute and valued._

He pressed send.

_It's no problem, Akashi. :)_  Nijimura responded. _I'm happy for you and glad I could help. You're a good kid. You deserve a good partner._

Akashi smiled briefly, before resting his fingers on the keypad to type a reply, when he received a second message:

_(And I'm glad one of you brats finally realizes that I give good advice!)_

Akashi glared at his phone and typed: _I have always valued your advice, captain._  He was about to hit send again, when his eyes trailed over to Furihata-kun, still sleeping on the floor next to him. He thought back to his confession, their first date, and their unexpected first kiss. Shaking his head slightly, he added: _But, there was one thing, in particular, that you were certainly correct in advising me._

_Yeah, I guess you're right. It was Aomine and the others who never listened! :P_ Nijimura answered, followed quickly by:

_(And what would that be?)_

With no one around to see, Akashi smiled as brightly as he had in years, chuckling softy to himself as he typed his reply:

_A little spontaneity is sometimes a good thing._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for seeing me through to the end of this story! This is my first completed chapter fic, and I couldn't be happier. A special thank you to those of you who enjoyed the fic and have been encouraging me to write more. It is your support, especially on the most difficult days, that keeps me writing and fuels me to continue. 
> 
> I also wish to give a shoutout to life_on_vega and courtingstars, who beta read this massive third chapter, and provided me with insightful and important feedback. (They also both listened to my struggles when I became stuck writing this chapter!) 
> 
> I hope that you enjoyed the story. Thank you, again, for your continued support.


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